Cabinet bed arrangement



Dec. 21, 1965 c, SCHNEIDER 3,224,015

CABINE' I BED ARRANGEMENT Filed Aug. 31, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CHARLES.SCHNE/DER INVENTOR A 770/2NEY Dec. 21, 1965 c. SCHNEIDER CABINET BEDARRANGEMENT Filed Aug. 31., 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ow m NW Elulllql||lllllul|'\ 9 w m \g 10V vm @W INVENTOR CHAPL5 SCHNEIDER BYA7TORNE) United States Patent 3,224,015 CABINET BED ARRANGEMENT CharlesSchneider, 585 N. lRossrnore, Apt. 5, Hollywood, Calif. Filed Aug. 31,1962, Ser. No. 220,704 6 Claims. (Cl. -2)

This invention relates to the folding bed art and more particularly toan improved arrangement providing a folding bed in a cabinet or roomdivider.

It has long been desirable to provide, as an article of furniture, acabinet or room divider that incorporates a folding bed concealed insidethe cabinet when in a first or closed position and extends from thecabinet when in a second or open position. Further, to be commerciallysuccessful, the cabinet unit must be capable of being manufactured in anaesthetically pleasing design, both when the foldable bed is in itsfirst position and when it is in its second position. However, when afoldable bed is incorporated in a cabinet, as opposed to, for example, asofa, the design of the unit must be such that the cabinet does not tipor sway during the opening and closing of the bed from the cabinet sinceitems, such as glassware, which might be stored in the cabinet would bedamaged or destroyed. In addition, since women often are required tooperate the folding bed arrangement, the forces that must be supplied toopen and close the bed must be kept low.

To the best of applicants knowledge, cabinet beds manufactured in thepast have not always achieved these desiderata. Often the bed unit wasonly pivotally coupled to the cabinet unit which not only resulted intipping of the cabinet unit when opening or closing but also requiredsubstantial strength to operate. Other arrangements have provided eitheran extremely heavy cabinet unit, means for attaching the cabinet to awall or floor, or a very wide cabinet unit, in an attempt to avoidtipping, which conditions hampered design of an aesthetically pleasingcabinet bed.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedcabinet bed arrangement.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved cabinetbed arrangement that requires only moderate external forces to operate.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cabinet bedarrangement that may be manufactured in an aesthetically pleasingconfiguration.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improvedcabinet bed arrangement in which the cabinet unit is substantially freeof tipping or swaying characteristics during opening and closing of thebed unit.

The above and other objects are achieved, according to one embodiment ofapplicants invention, by providing a cabinet member having wallsdefining a bed tray receiving cavity. A bed tray, in which a foldablebed is contained, is adapted to fit in the bed tray receiving cavity ina first, closed position and to be extended into a second, open positionfrom which the foldable bed may be unfolded. Movement of the bed trayrelative to the cabinet member during transition from the first positionto the second position is carefully controlled to reduce the outwardmovement of the center of gravity of the bed tray to thereby minimizethe tendency of the cabinet member to tip. This is achieved by providingboth a rotational and a translational mode of movement of the bed trayrelative to the cabinet member. According to applicants inventionherein, the center of gravity of the rotationally and translationallymoving bed tray only moves a comparatively small distance outside thebase of the cabinet member during transitions between the open and theclosed positions. Therefore, the tipping moment about the base edge ofthe cabinet member is minimized and the normal weight of anaesthetically pleasing cabinet member is sufiicient to prevent tipping,thereby eliminating the need for either excessively wide cabinet basesor excessively heavy cabinets. Counterbalancing spring arrangements arealso provided to control the amount of force that must be exerted tomove the bed tray between the first and the second positions.

The above and other embodiments of this invention are more fullydisclosed in the following detailed description with reference to theaccompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters refer tosimilar elements and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view, partially in section, of one embodiment ofapplicants invention shown in a closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 illustrates the embodiment shown in FIG- URE 1 in a partiallyopen position;

FIGURE 4 illustrates the embodiment shown in FIG- URE 1 in a fully openposition;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 illustrates another embodiment of applicants invention.

While the embodiments of applicants invention described herein are shownin a cabinet bed arrangement, it will be appreciated that applicantsinvention may also be utilized in many diverse applications whereverrelative motion of one member to another is to be provided withoutsubstantial tipping or swaying of the first member.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown the structure associated witha cabinet bed arrangement according to applicants invention. A cabinetmember 10 has walls defining a bed tray receiving cavity 12 in which abed tray 14 containing a folded bed assembly 16, shown on FIG- URE 1 indotted lines, is contained in a first or closed position. The cabinetmember 10 is provided with, in this embodiment, sliding doors 20 andside walls 22. A backboard 24 and plurality of shelves 26 providestorage space in the cabinet member 10. Many other arrangements ofhinged doors, sliding doors, shelving, and the like could be provided inthe front section of cabinet member 10 as may be desired for aparticular item of furniture. The folding bed 16 may be of any desiredand Well-known construction, such as that illustrated in applicantsUnited States Patent No. 2,878,490, and may incorporate, as a feature ofconstruction, the arrangement shown in applicants United States PatentNo. 2,713,690. However, any other folding bed construction could beutilized in the cabinet bed arrangement of the present invention. Thehinging and pivotal relationships between various sections of the bedmay also be in accordance with applicants United States Patent No.2,878,490 or any other wellknown arrangement for folding beds. Any ofthe particular types of bed folding arrangements selected from thosewell known in the art are compatible with applicants invention hereinwhich is directed toward the relationship between a bed unit, foldableor not, and a cabinet unit. Thus, for example, a non-foldable bed unitcould also be utilized in this invention which is not limited by theparticular type of bed unit selected. It will be appreciated that theparticular bed arrangement selected for utilization as the folding bed16 is merely set into the bed tray 14 and afiixed therein by suitablemounting means. As the arrangements for mounting the folding bed 16 mayvary from bed to bed, it will be obvious to those skilled in the artexactly to which portions of the bed tray 14 the selected folding bed 16is to be aflixed.

A rigid arm means 28 is pivotally coupled to side walls 22 by a firstpivot pin means 30 at a preselected location thereon spaced a firstpreselected distance from a base portion 32 of cabinet member 10. Thearm means 28 is also pivotally coupled to the bed tray 14 by a secondpivot pin means 34 at a preselected location thereon spaced a secondpreselected distance from base member 32. In the preferred embodiment ofapplicants invention, as shown on FIGURE 1, the first preselecteddistance is greater than the second preselected distance so thatrearward movement of the center of gravity of the bed tray 14 andfolding bed 16 is minimized. However, other spatial relationship betweenthe first and the second pivot pin means 30 and 34, respectively, andthe base portion 32 could also be utilized, depending upon the desiredgeometry and operational characteristics.

Since arm member 28 is rigid, second pivot pin means 34 is constrainedto move, with respect to the cabinet member 10, in the arc of a circle,illustrated by arrow 36, having a radius equivalent to the separationbetween first pivot pin means 30 and second pivot pin means 34.

A first bracket means 38 is also pivotally coupled to the bed tray 14 bysecond pivot pin means 34 and a striker means 40 is coupled to the firstbracket means 38 and is positioned to engage the arm means 28 during atleast preselected portions of the transition of the bed tray 14 betweenthe open and closed positions thereof as described below in detail.FIGURE 2 illustrates a section through the arm means 28 and firstbracket means 38 taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1. The striker means40 may be positioned, when the bed tray 14 is in the first or closedposition, to be engaging the arm means 28 or, as shown on FIGURES 1 and2, separated therefrom when in this position. The exact location may beselected from considerations of the relative weight of the bed tray 14and cabinet member and the forces desired for operation. However,applicant has found it advantageous to have the striker means 40 notengaging the arm means 28 when the bed tray 14 is in the first or closedposition. In this position, the striker means 40 is separated from thearm means 28 by a preselected distance and engages the arm means 28, asthe bed tray 14 is opened, when the gravity forces acting on the bedtray 14 create an opening moment. This is more fully explained below inthe description of the operation of this embodiment.

A second bracket means 42 is coupled to bed tray means 14 and is spacedfrom first bracket means 38. A first spring tab 44 is pivotally coupledto first bracket means 38 and a second spring tab 46 is pivotallycoupled to second bracket means 42 and a plurality of resilient means,such as tension springs 48, are connected between first spring tab means44 and second spring tab means 46. In the preferred embodiment ofapplicants invention, as shown on FIGURE 1, the first and second springtab means 44 and 46, respectively, are pivotally coupled to theirrespective brackets to avoid side loading on the spring means 48 andpossible interference therebetween during opening and closing of bedtray 14. However, if only one spring is utilized instead of theplurality of springs 48 shown, the tabs 44 and 46 may be rigidly coupledto first bracket 38 and second bracket 42, respectively, though in suchan arrangement it is desirable that the single spring be rotatablymounted on the tabs, as illustrated, for example, on FIGURE 6 for theattachments of spring members 90 and 88 and as discussed below ingreater detail in connection with the description of the embodimentillustrated in FIGURE 6.

A wheel means 50 is coupled to bed tray 14 and is positioned to roll ona preselected surface 52 of base portion 32. The wheel means 50 ispreferably positioned close to the rear portion 54 of bed tray 14 sothat there is in the closed position a moment about both the wheel means50 and the second pivot pin means 34 in the clockwise direction,illustrated on FIGURE 1 by arrow 56,

tending to keep the bed tray 14 in the closed position shown. This isachieved by virtue of the center of gravity of the combined bed tray 14and foldable bed 16, figuratively illustrated at 58, being furtherforward than the second pivot pin means 34. Rotation of bed tray 14 inthe clockwise direction is stopped when the front portion 55 thereofengages stop means 51 coupled to cabinet member 10 to provide, at therear face 57, a substantially smooth appearance therewith.

When it is desired to open the bed, a force illustrated by arrow 59 isapplied to knob means coupled to rear face 57 of bed tray 14. The bedtray 14 starts a pivotal motion with respect to cabinet member 10 aboutsecond pivot pin means 34 which simultaneously second pivot pin means 34is constrained to move along the path shown by arrow 36. This providesboth a rotational and a translational movement of the bed tray 14 withrespect to the cabinet member 10. As long as the center of gravity ofthe bed tray 14 and foldable bed 16 is forward of the lower rear edge 62of bottom portion 32 there is no tipping of the cabinet if the forceapplied at the knobs 60 does not induce a net counterclockwise momentabout rear edge 62. When the center of gravity of the bed tray 14 andfoldable bed 16 is vertically disposed above the wheel means 50, theforce required on the knobs 60 to move the center of gravity decreasesto zero but, as discussed above, at this point the striker means 40engages arm means 28, putting springs 48 into tension, and the forceresulting therefrom is overcome by the force 59 and gravity forcesacting on bed tray 14. Thereafter, the weight of the bed tray 14 andfoldable bed 16 aids in opening the bed tray 14 when the center ofgravity is to the rear of wheel means 50.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the arrangement of FIGURE 1 at the position wherethe center of gravity at 58 is vertically disposed above the wheel means50. A plicant has found it advantageous to have striker means 40 engagearm means 28 just before the position illustrated on FIGURE 3 isobtained so that spring means 48 is put into tension. This results in aforce on bed tray 14 tending to resist further motion induced by theforce 59 and gravity forces. Thus, there is a continual force on the bedtray 14 resisting the force 59 and sudden jerking or pulling, whichmight tend to tip the cabinet, is avoided.

This combined rotational and translational movement of the bed tray 14with respect to the cabinet member 10 continues, the second pivot pinmeans 34 moves along the path illustrated by arrow 36, and the bed tray14 simultaneously pivots about the second pivot pin means 34 until thebed tray 14 is in an open or second position as illustrated in FIGURE 4.

For a portion of the transition between the position shown in FIGURE 3and the position shown in FIGURE 4, the center of gravity 58 moves to aposition outside the base of cabinet member 10, that is, to the rear ofthe lower edge 62 thereof. This induces a tipping moment above the loweredge 62 in the counter-clockwise direction that is counter-balanced andprevented by the weight of the cabinet member 10 itself. However,according to applicants invention herein, the translational androtational movement of the bed tray 14 with respect to cabinet 10 limitsthe distance that the center of gravity 58 extends to the rear of thelower edge 62 and thus tends to minimize the tipping moment thereof sothat the normal weight of the cabinet 10 is suflicient to counteract thetipping moment. Therefore, utilization of specially added weights orbolting the cabinet member 10 to the floor, or providing an excessivelywide cabinet base is eliminated and the cabinet 10 may be fabricated inan aesthetically attractive appearance. When the wheel 50 is positionedfurther towards the rear of bed tray 14 than the second pivot pin 34,there is, during the first portion of travel of bed tray 14, an upwardmovement of second pivot pin 34. This is caused by greater separationbetween the wheel 50 and the second pivot pin 34 than between the Secondpivot pin 34 and the base 32. This upward movement of second pivot pin34 continues until the wheel 50 is vertically disposed under secondpivot pin 34 and from this point on, further counterclockwise rotationof bed tray 14 results in a downward and forward movement of secondpivot pin 34 along arrow 36 to provide a translational movement of bedtray 14 with respect to cabinet that restricts outward movement of thecenter of gravity 58. Therefore, in some embodiments of applicantsinvention, it may be desirable to position the wheel 50 vertically undersecond pivot pin 34 when the bed tray 14 is in the first or closedposition as illustrated in FIGURE 1. However, if the wheel 50 were to bepositioned forward on bed tray 14, it will be obvious to those skilledin the art that clearance for the lower rear portion of bed tray 14during operation must be provided. Since second pivot pin means 34 movesalong the path of arrow 36, with respect to lower rear edge 62, therearward movement of the center of gravity 58 of the bed tray 14 andfoldable bed 16 is limited. The location of both the first pivot pinmeans 30 and the second pivot pin means 34 may be selected for a givenfoldable cabinet to insure that the counterclockwise moment about loweredge 62 caused by the force 59 and the center of gravity at 58 is lessthan the clockwise moment induced by the weight of cabinet member 10.This prevents tipping of the cabinet member 10. The spring constant ofspring means 48 may be selected so that the force 59 required is bothminimal in the direction shown to allow easy operation and yet not solarge as to effect a tipping of cabinet member 10. FIGURE 5 is asectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 showing therelationship of arm means 28, bracket 38, striker 40, and springs 48when the bed tray 14 is in the full open position.

As shown on FIGURE 4, the wheel 50 is adjacent the front portion of thecabinet member 10 when the bed tray 14 is fully open. This results, ofcourse, from the particular dimensions chosen for the unit. The wheel 50may, if desired, be located above any selected point on base portion 32that is forward of second pivot 34.

The folding bed 16, shown in dotted lines, may be unfolded to provide afull length bed when bed tray 14 is fully open. However, if, forexample, the width of the cabinet 10 in a direction perpendicular to theplane of the paper is great enough, the bed 16 need not be a folding bedbut may, as discussed above, be of a standard bed construction. Ineither case, the bed 16 merely is carried by the bed tray 14.

The first bracket means 38 may be pivotally coupled to the bed tray 14at any desired location as long as striker means 40 is positioned toengage arm means 28 during at least preselected portions of thetransition of the bed tray 14 between the open position and the closedposition as described above. However, it is more economical to provideonly the one pivot point as the number of components required is thusreduced.

There are other arrangements of the structure of applioants inventionthat may be provided to result in a nontipping cabinet bed arrangement.FIGURE 6 illustrates such structural arrangement in another embodimentof applicants invention.

A cabinet 70, which may be similar to the cabinet 10 of FIGURE 1, haswalls defining a bed tray receiving cavity 72. A bed tray 74 containinga foldable bed 76 is contained within the cavity 72. in a first orclosed position. An arm means 78 is pivotally coupled to the bed tray 74by first pivot pin means 80 and pivotally coupled to cabinet member '70by second pivot pin means 82. A bracket means 84 is also pivotallycoupled to cabinet member 70 by pivot pin means 82. A bracket 86 iscoupled to cabinet member 78 in spaced relationship to bracket 84. Afirst resilient member such as a first tension spring 88 is coupledbetween brackets 84 and 86. In this embodiment the spring means 88 isno-tatably mounted in both brackets 84 and 86 and is free to assume anon-side-loading position therebetween. A second resilient member, suchas second tension spring 90, is rotatably coupled to both the bed tray74 at a location above the center of gravity )1 thereof and to thecabinet member 70.

In a manner analogous to that described in connection with theembodiment of FIGURE 1, pivot pin means 80 is constrained to move in thearcuate path illustrated by arrow 92 to provide a translational movementof the bed tray 74 with respect to the cabinet member whilesimultaneously there is a pivotal motion of the bed tray 74 about pivotpin means 80.

A striker means 93 is coupled to bracket 84 and is adapted to engage armmeans 78 during preselected portions of the opening and closing cyclesof the cabinet bed.

A roller means 94 is coupled to a base portion 96 of cabinet member 70and slidingly engages track means 98 coupled to bed tray 74. The trackmeans 88 has an arcuate portion 100 for engagement of the roller means94 during rotation of bed tray 74 about pivot pin means and a linearportion 102 for engagement with the roller during translationalmovement.

Opening and closing of this embodiment is similar to that describedabove with both the spring means and spring means 88 yieldinglyresisting the opening of bed tray 74 and aiding the closing thereof.

From the above it can be seen that applicants invention provides anarrangement for controlling later-a1 excursion of the center of gravityof the bed tray with respect to the cabinet member to therebysubstantially reduce the tendency of the cabinet member in a cabinet bedto tip during opening and closing of the bed tray. The structuralfeatures of each of the arrangements illustrated herein may be combinedin any desired combination to provide a tip-free cabinet bedarrangement.

This concludes the description of applicants invention of a new andimproved cabinet bed arrangement. Those skilled in the art may find manyadaptations and variations of applicants invention. All modificationsfalling Within the true scope and spirit of applicants invention areintended to be limited only by the following claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An improved cabinet bed comprising, in combination:

a cabinet member having walls defining a bed tray receiving cavity;

a bed tray positionable within said cavity in a first position andextendable therefrom in a second position;

wheel means coupled to said bed tray for rolling engagement withpreselected portions of said walls of said cabinet;

a rigid arm means having a first end pivotally connected to said bedtray at a first pivot point and a second end pivotally connected to saidcabinet member at a second pivot point;

bracket means pivotally connected to said bed tray at said first pivotpoint and spaced from said arm means;

striker means coupled to said bracket and positioned to engage said armmeans; and

spring means coupled between said bracket means and said bed tray foryieldingly maintaining said striker means in engagement with said armmeans during preselected portions of the transition of said bed traybetween said first position and said second position whereby said bedtray is rnovable in both a rotational mode and a translational mode withrespect to said cabinet member.

2. In combination:

a first member having walls defining a cavity;

a second member positionable within said cavity in a I first positionand extendable therefrom in a second position;

arm means pivotally connected to said first member at a first endthereof and to said second member at a second end thereof;

striker means coupled to said second member and positioned to engagesaid arm means intermediate said first and said second ends;

means for yieldingly maintaining said striker means in engagement withsaid arm means during preselected portions of the transition of saidsecond member between said first position and said second position; and

means for yieldingly resisting the movement of said second member withrespect to said first member.

3. In combination:

a cabinet member having walls defining a tray member receiving cavity;

a tray member adapted to fit within said cavity in a first position andextend from said cavity in a second position;

roller means intermediate said cabinet member and said tray member forproviding rolling contact engagement of said tray member with saidcabinet member during transition between said first position and saidsecond position;

arm means having a first end pivotally coupled to said cabinet memberand a second end pivotally coupled to said tray member;

striker means for engaging said :arm means at a preselected locationthereon; and

spring means for resiliently maintaining said striker means inengagement with said arm means during at least a portion of the movementof said tray member between said first position and said secondposition.

4. In combination:

a cabinet member having walls defining a tray member receiving cavity;

a tray member adapted to fit within said cavity in a first position andextend from said cavity in a second position;

roller means intermediate said cabinet member and said tray member forproviding rolling contact engagement of said tray member with saidcabinet member during transition between said first position and saidsecond position;

an arm means having a first end pivotally coupled to said cabinet memberand a second end pivotally coupled to said tray member;

bracket means pivotally coupled to said tray member and spaced apartfrom said arm means;

striker means coupled to said bracket means and adapted to engage saidarm means intermediate said first and said second ends thereof; and

spring means coupled to said bracket means and said tray member forresiliently maintaining said striker means in engagement with said armmeans during preselected portions of the movement of said tray memberbetween said first position and said second position whereby said traymember is movable in both a translational mode and a rotational moderelative to said cabinet member.

5. In combination:

a first member having walls defining a cavity;

a second member positionable within said cavity in a first position andextendable therefrom in a second position;

arm means pivotally connected to said first member at a first endthereof, and to said second member at a second end thereof;

striker means coupled to said first member and positioned to engage saidarm means intermediate said first and said second ends during apreselected portion of the transition between said first position andsaid second position;

means for yieldingly maintaining said striker means in engagement withsaid arm means during said preselected portion of the transition betweensaid first position and said second position;

and means for yieldingly resisting the movement of said second memberwith respect to said first member.

6. In combination:

a cabinet member having walls defining a tray receiving cavity;

a tray member adapted to fit within said cavity in a first position andextend from said cavity in a second position;

roller means intermediate said cabinet member and said tray member forproviding rolling contact engagement of said tray member with saidcabinet member during transition of said tray member between said firstposition and said second position;

arm means having a first end pivotally coupled to said cabinet memberand a second end pivotally coupled to said tray member;

striker means for engaging said arm means intermediate said first endand said second end during a preselectedportion of the transitionbetween said first position and said second position;

first spring means for resiliently maintaining said striker means inengagement with said arm means during said preselected portion of thetransition between said first position and said second position;

and second spring means for resiliently resisting relative movementbetween said tray member and said cabinet member.

References ijited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 319,608 6/1885Nelson 5141 445,629 2/1891 Osgood 5-2 X 476,923 6/1892 Hayton ct al 51411,087,679 2/1914 Page 514l 1,253,872 1/1918 Page 5-141 2,713,690 7/1955Schneider 5188 2,878,490 3/1959 Schneider 5--13 FRANK B. SHERRY, PrimaryExaminer.

3. IN COMBINATION: A CABINET MEMBER HAVING WALLS DEFINING A TRAY MEMBERRECEIVING CAVITY; A TRAY MEMBER ADAPTED TO FIT WITHIN SAID CAVITY IN AFIRST POSITION AND EXTEND FROM SAID CAVITY IN A SECONE POSITION; ROLLERMEANS INTERMEDIATE SAID CABINET MEMBER AND SAID TRAY MEMBER FORPROVIDING ROLLING CONTACT ENGAGEMENT OF SAID TRAY MEMBER WITH SAIDCABINET MEMBER DURING TRANSITION BETWEEN SAID FIRST POSITION AND SAIDSECOND POSITION; ARM MEANS HAVING A FIRST END PIVOTALLY COUPLED TO SAIDCABINET MEMBER AND A SECOND END PIVOTALLY COUPLED TO SAID TRAY MEMBER;STRIKER MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID ARM MEANS AT A PRESELECTED LOCATIONTHEREON; AND SPRING MEANS FOR RESILIENTLY MAINTAINING SAID STRIKERMEANMS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ARM MEANS DURING AT LEAST A PORTION OFTHE MOVEMENT OF SAID TRAY MEMBER BETWEEN SAID FIRST POSITION AND SAIDSECOND POSITION.